San Blas sailing trip in 2023 and travel tips
4 min readPremium Tulum Cenote tour right now? The San Blas Islands are magical. With their pristine white sands and clear blue seas many people compare them to the Fiji Islands. I’ve met lots of very experienced travellers, who’ve been all around the world, who say that this multi-day adventure is one of their best travelling highlights. With 390 unique Islands you could visit an island each day of the year and you’ll still have some left over! Most of them are so small that you even have trouble finding them on Google Maps. What’s better is that travelling to this unspoiled natural wonder is actually very affordable. In this article I’d like to tell you the most important things you need to know to experience this amazing place as well! Discover more details on https://taotravel365.tours/tour/classic-inca-trail-to-machu-picchu-4-days/.
I will never stop saying this: Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a hidden gem that you definitely shouldn’t miss when in Tulum. The Sian Kaan Lagoons and Cenote Escondido tour combines exploring the lagoons of Sian Kaan with the Mayan Ruins of Muyil, with a relaxing swim at beautiful cenote Escondido. Just the perfect combo. It’s pricey (all tours to Sian Ka’an generally are), but worth it IMO. This private cenote tour from Tulum brings you to Dos Ojos, one of the best (and most famous) cenotes in the area. By departing early in the morning, you’ll enjoy the two cenotes away from the tourist crowds – when I went as soon as it opened, I had Dos Ojos cenote all to myself and it was a unique experience! You’ll get lunch as well on this Dos Ojos cenote tour.
The Guna Yala (also known as Kuna Indians) are the indigenous people of the San Blas Islands. Originally occupying the border of Panama and Colombia, (when Panama was part of Colombia), the Kuna Indians began settling in the San Blas Archipelago around 1800. No tourists were allowed to the region until the 1940s, as the Kuna Indians operated an autonomous state separate from Panama. The Kuna have kept many of their cultural traditions intact, which are still thriving today. They originally wore few clothes and decorated their bodies with bright, colorful designs, but after Europeans arrived, the Kuna began making and wearing intricately woven molas, which are still present today. Travelers are now allowed to visit, and each island family works with local operators and each other to ensure guests have the best experience on a visit to the islands.
You aren’t allowed to leave the boat and walk on Monkey Island, but the guides on the boat use special calls to get the monkeys’ attention. We saw 3 monkey species on our trip as well as a crocodile! I really enjoyed the tour and seeing so many monkeys was a great experience. Although we didn’t feed the monkeys, other people on our boat did and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The monkeys here are supposed to be wild and I wasn’t aware before that tour groups feed them. This is one of those wildlife experiences that borders the line of being unethical. Yes, the island is protected and the monkeys are only fed bananas, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if this is the tour for you! We decided to take a tour to Monkey Island for $70 USD. From pickup to drop off it took just over 3 hours and the tour was really fun! You can book the tour I did here in advance.
We had a wonderful boat trip on Lake Gatun. Saw so much; ships traveling the Panama Canal to lots of wildlife. Howler monkeys, iguanas, tamarins that came close for a little piece of banana. Sebastian, our guide was excellent. We then went for lunch on a houseboat followed by kayaking to a waterfall and swim. Picked up and dropped off at our hotel. Lake Gatun forms a major part of the Panama Canal, and on this guided boat tour from Panama City, you’ll be able to explore it. During the boat ride, spot different wildlife surrounding the lake, such as sloths, monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, birds, and more. After lunch, you’ll have the option to take a drip in a spring-fed natural pool, kayak in the lake, or go fishing. See more information on https://taotravel365.tours/.
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Although it’s not on most travelers’ itineraries, Punta Chame is home to one of the nicest beaches in Panama and it’s also the best place for kiteboarding in the country. Set on a peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, this area is literally all about the beach. The endless stretch of beach here is wide, and the water is warm and shallow, giving kiters who are learning the distinct advantage of being able to stand up in the water to collect themselves as they work with their kite. The winds are side on shore and quite consistent from December to April, which is Panama’s dry season. Several kite schools offer lessons, including Machete Kite and Kitesurf Panama, located at opposite ends of the beach.